WBC group announces plans to visit Tuscaloosa

Westboro Baptist Church plans to picket Tuscaloosa

Margie M. Phelps, left, stands with her husband Pastor Fred Phelps and her daughter Margie J. Phelps during a demonstration outside the federal courthouse in Baltimore, Maryland, Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2007. Members of the Topeka, Kansas based Westboro Baptist Church demonstrated in downtown Baltimore where a jury is deliberating whether the church and its members can be held legally liable in a suit brought by Albert Snyder, the father of Lance CPL Matthew A. Snyder whose funeral the group demonstrated at in Westminster, MD, in March of 2006.

AP Photo/Baltimore Sun, Jed Kirschbaum

Jason MortonStaff Writer

Published: Monday, May 6, 2013 at 4:46 p.m.

Last Modified: Monday, May 6, 2013 at 4:46 p.m.

TUSCALOOSA | The Westboro Baptist Church, an anti-gay group known for protesting at military funerals, says it plans to picket Tuscaloosa on May 18, although University of Alabama and city officials say no permits for a demonstration have been obtained.

The group's website says the demonstration is intended to “remind them (that) the wrath of God” was responsible for the tornado of April 27, 2011.

The Kansas-based group, which styles itself as a Primitive Baptist church, also plans to picket Graceland in Memphis, Tenn., on May 17 in protest of the “worship” of Elvis Presley, and the University of Mississippi, which the group claims has made an idol of the sport of football, also on May 18.

The church's website said the May 18 protest in Tuscaloosa is meant to memorialize the cancellation of UA's spring 2011 graduation ceremonies, which were abandoned two years ago because of the chaos brought by the storm.

“That whirlwind came from God,” the website said. “Praise His name for it, then fear and obey that God who is able to whip up a whirlwind on a dime!

“Call this time, between your last GodSmack and your NEXT GodSmack, space for repentance!”

UA's spring 2013 graduation ceremonies were held Friday and Saturday.

While the group's website indicates protesters will be at UA from noon-12:30 p.m., no permits for a demonstration have been obtained yet from either the University of the city of Tuscaloosa.

Representatives of UA and City Hall said no member of the Westboro Baptist Church group had contacted them, and municipal code requires that any organized assembly planned for more than five days on public property must obtain a special event permit.

Similarly, under university policy, organizations are required to apply for a grounds use permit for events to be held on campus.

The group's website did not indicate how many protesters are planning to visit Tuscaloosa, but its events typically feature no more than 10 members of the group holding signs with messages like “God Hates America,” “You're Going to Hell” and “Thank God for Dead Soldiers.”

It's not uncommon for adults and children to take part in the protests.

One resident launched a petition on www.change.org encouraging Mayor Walt Maddox, the Tuscaloosa City Council and the University of Alabama to prevent the protesters from demonstrating. As of 4 p.m., the petition had reached almost 1,000 signatures.

Others were making arrangements to stage a counter-protest. These kinds of activities also are not uncommon, with groups forming in an attempt to drown out or distract from the messages being delivered by the Westboro Baptist Church's followers.

Such events have been staged by the famous — such as the rock band Foo Fighters and director Kevin Smith — and non-famous alike. Last year, a group in Washington state dressed as zombies to detract from a Westboro Baptist Church protest of a military funeral.

Counter-protests often contain messages of acceptance and tolerance.

The group's website said the visit to Tuscaloosa is also meant to condemn homosexuality and same-sex marriages, although Alabama has no law permitting same-sex unions.

“You really ‘smart' University people should have offered a PhD in The Flood,” the website said, “and it should have included an entire semester on the last offense against God before he sent that flood to WIPE OUT the entire earth, except the eight who were in the Ark, to wit: Same Sex Marriage! ...

“So, the take away points for today class, to wit: The Lord is coming! America is Doomed!”

<p>TUSCALOOSA | The Westboro Baptist Church, an anti-gay group known for protesting at military funerals, says it plans to picket Tuscaloosa on May 18, although University of Alabama and city officials say no permits for a demonstration have been obtained.</p><p>The group's website says the demonstration is intended to “remind them (that) the wrath of God” was responsible for the tornado of April 27, 2011.</p><p>The Kansas-based group, which styles itself as a Primitive Baptist church, also plans to picket Graceland in Memphis, Tenn., on May 17 in protest of the “worship” of Elvis Presley, and the University of Mississippi, which the group claims has made an idol of the sport of football, also on May 18.</p><p>The church's website said the May 18 protest in Tuscaloosa is meant to memorialize the cancellation of UA's spring 2011 graduation ceremonies, which were abandoned two years ago because of the chaos brought by the storm.</p><p>“That whirlwind came from God,” the website said. “Praise His name for it, then fear and obey that God who is able to whip up a whirlwind on a dime!</p><p>“Call this time, between your last GodSmack and your NEXT GodSmack, space for repentance!”</p><p>UA's spring 2013 graduation ceremonies were held Friday and Saturday. </p><p>While the group's website indicates protesters will be at UA from noon-12:30 p.m., no permits for a demonstration have been obtained yet from either the University of the city of Tuscaloosa.</p><p>Representatives of UA and City Hall said no member of the Westboro Baptist Church group had contacted them, and municipal code requires that any organized assembly planned for more than five days on public property must obtain a special event permit.</p><p>Similarly, under university policy, organizations are required to apply for a grounds use permit for events to be held on campus.</p><p>The group's website did not indicate how many protesters are planning to visit Tuscaloosa, but its events typically feature no more than 10 members of the group holding signs with messages like “God Hates America,” “You're Going to Hell” and “Thank God for Dead Soldiers.”</p><p>It's not uncommon for adults and children to take part in the protests.</p><p>Word of Westboro Baptist Church's planned visit spread quickly on Monday via social media.</p><p>One resident launched a petition on www.change.org encouraging Mayor Walt Maddox, the Tuscaloosa City Council and the University of Alabama to prevent the protesters from demonstrating. As of 4 p.m., the petition had reached almost 1,000 signatures.</p><p>Others were making arrangements to stage a counter-protest. These kinds of activities also are not uncommon, with groups forming in an attempt to drown out or distract from the messages being delivered by the Westboro Baptist Church's followers.</p><p>Such events have been staged by the famous — such as the rock band Foo Fighters and director Kevin Smith — and non-famous alike. Last year, a group in Washington state dressed as zombies to detract from a Westboro Baptist Church protest of a military funeral.</p><p>Counter-protests often contain messages of acceptance and tolerance.</p><p>The group's website said the visit to Tuscaloosa is also meant to condemn homosexuality and same-sex marriages, although Alabama has no law permitting same-sex unions.</p><p>“You really 'smart' University people should have offered a PhD in The Flood,” the website said, “and it should have included an entire semester on the last offense against God before he sent that flood to WIPE OUT the entire earth, except the eight who were in the Ark, to wit: Same Sex Marriage! ...</p><p>“So, the take away points for today class, to wit: The Lord is coming! America is Doomed!”</p>